LoginTechnology Webinar Takes Detailed Dive into School Bus Efficiency
A Texas transportation director provided attendees with a live demo of the Bytecurve payroll and dispatch software, as well as numerous tips on improving school bus operational efficiency.
Bryan Mitchell, marketing manager for Bytecurve parent company Transit Technologies, explained during the Thursday webinar that with COVID-era funding programs ending, budget concerns combined with routine driver shortages, upset parents and disconnected tech systems complicate student transportation operations every day. He noted that half of U.S. students rely on school bus services but the number of school bus drivers decreased 15 percent from 2019 to 2023.
Mitchell reviewed a case study on the $30,000 monthly labor cost savings that Rome School District in Georgia achieved with Bytecurve, along with nearly eliminating payroll errors and saving 10 hours per week in driver communications and payroll reconciliation. He added that Russellville School District in Arkansas reported saving $15,000 per month.
Additionally, fellow webinar panelist Jonquez Moore, transportation director of Little Elm ISD in northeast Texas, discovered school bus efficiency by bringing two school district transportation operations in-house from contractors and implemented Bytecurve both times.
“We live in a very connected world. Unfortunately, in K-12 it’s not very connected,” observed Jonathan Agenten, director of sales for Bytecurve.
The payroll, scheduling and dispatch system lets drivers clock in via tablet, app or wall clock. Moore said some Little Elm ISD drivers like using the app to save time but noted a tablet option is available for drivers who are reluctant to download the app. He confirmed the app is location based so drivers can only clock in when they are within a predetermined distance from the facility. Agenten added that management can send notifications and see when the drivers read them.
Moore said he appreciated how real-time bus locations arranged in an airport terminal-style dashboard allows managers to proactively handle late, delayed or canceled routes.
“When it’s busy, you don’t know a bus is late until it’s late,” he commented.
Moore shared a view of his Bytecurve dashboard with webinar attendees and pointed out that dispatchers can easily see what drivers are clocked in and what buses they are assigned to. Managers can also manually clock in drivers or remove buses or drivers from the schedule if an event is canceled.
Noting his fondness for reports, Moore showed how easy it is to access on-time performance reports, which he shares with district administration and uses to praise his drivers.
Various stats are clickable, he added, allowing deep dives into problem areas. He said he uses this information to talk to his team and determine what to change.
“I’m not getting paid for this [webinar], so I really believe in their system,” Moore declared.
Related: (Recorded Webinar) How School Districts Save $30,000 per Month with Smarter Payroll
Related: Arkansas District Uses Technology to Save Money and Time
Related: (Recorded Webinar) Arkansas Transportation Department Saves $15K per Month with Bytecurve
Related: Payroll Technology Saves Thousands of Dollars for Georgia School District
He added that a report on planned vs. scheduled vs. actual hours worked is a favorite of the district chief financial officer as it helps with budget questions.
He noted that if there is an unexpected school bus driver shortage, a dispatcher can reassign the route with a few clicks. The system also notes what drivers are already working and therefore unavailable.
Identifying Additional Efficiencies in Operations
When changing tiered routes, where a driver was assigned to elementary and middle or high schools, Agenten confirmed that routes can be split up and reassigned by school or stop. The system notes the resulting changes and the app communicates those changes to parents.
He reviewed payroll integrations and confirmed that each district is a unique customer that Bytecurve will set up according to its particular rules.
When it comes to union requirements and driver minimum hours, task codes added upon system setup become part of the foundation so “things are calculated proactively and accurately,” Agenten said. Managers can use a few clicks to approve driver timesheets based on these preapproved district procedures.
He also answered an attendee question by stating that Bytecurve integrates with several tablets and also provides one of its own.
Mitchell reviewed Transit Technologies’ other offerings, one of which is onboard student and driver facing cameras that are ruggedized, reliable and warranty protected. busHive software allows districts to quickly quote, set up, complete and get reimbursed for field trips. FASTER Maintenance Software allows technicians to proactively manage bus repairs.
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